How to Use an Old Prepaid SIM Card
By Lisa Wampler
If you have an old pre-paid SIM card for a GSM carrier like AT&T, T-Mobile or TracFone, in some cases you can reactivate it. While it helps if you are the listed account holder for the SIM card/account, if you are not it generally is not an issue. You need to obtain a few pieces of information from the SIM card to determine which carrier can restore the SIM card.
Step 1
Look at the back of the SIM card and write down the list of numbers on it. This is the SIM card number. Enter the SIM card number at NumberingPlans.com and it will tell you which carrier the SIM card belongs to. If, for example, the SIM is a T-Mobile SIM, you must go to T-Mobile to have it reactivated. This is the same for all carriers.
Step 2
Place the SIM card into a GSM phone for that carrier or you can use an unlocked phone that will work for all carriers. Most budget pre-paid phones are not unlocked. Press #NUM# into the keypad and obtain the phone number associated with the SIM card. Even if the SIM card is turned off and it has no money assigned to it, it will still show you the number attached to it. If it does not, the SIM card is purged from the system due to being inactive for a very long time and can no longer be reactivated.
Step 3
Call the customer service department for the SIM card you have and provide them with the phone number. Make a payment to add minutes to the pre-paid account. This will reactivate the SIM card. If you did not previously own the SIM card or use the phone number, you can ask to have the number changed. Most carriers will charge a fee for this service.
Tips
- Most carriers have provisions to protect pre-paid customer accounts. If you were not the previous owner of the SIM card, usually you can have the account changed to your name. You will not be able to do this if the previous owner has special instructions on his account that require password authentication to add minutes. If this is the case, you must purchase a new SIM and start a new account.